Every Other Weekend
by cloudlessS M I L E
Summary: It was those Friday nights that he looked forward to. The days when he'd get to see his son, and Lyla Garrity, the mother of his child. Where they'd get to be a family again, if not only for a few minutes. Those days were perfect. And then they were gone.


**A/N:** This isn't actually where I saw this oneshot going, to be honest. But after listening to the song "Ever Other Weekend" by Reba McEntire, it kind of made a life of its own. I will be making the one I originally planned on making (a much happier one, mind you) hopefully, but let me know what you guys think of this one for now. This is the result of still being up at 5:30 in the morning. Yes, that early. So, please ignore the mistakes and the fact that this isn't all that great.

* * *

Never leave a dream undreamt. Never leave a story unheard. Never leave a football untouched. And most importantly, never leave a girl unloved. Jason Street had learned at a young age how to treat girls with respect. He learned that they were more than just an object to be fooled around with and put to the side after you're finished with them.

Jason Street looked across the park, watching the familiar light blue car pull up in the parking lot and a familiar brown haired boy hop out of the front seat before slinging his backpack over his shoulder. His eyes returned to the girl he loved - the girl he always would love. He watched her expression turn to worry as the boy got too far away from her in the parking lot and he couldn't help the smile from creeping up on his lips.

The day when things changed was etched in his memory. Suitcases packed by the front door when he came home from taking little Landon to the park down the road to throw the football around. She told their son to go play in his room while she spoke to 'his father'. The tone in itself was enough to tell you that something was wrong. And then he saw the suitcases. It was a long silence before anybody spoke after she told him they should speak and they found two comfortable seats in the kitchen; him at the table, her at the island counter in the middle of the room.

He watched her again, just like he did back in high school, through college, and afterwards. Since he received his second chance, he had been a little more observant at the little things. It might have taken him a while to realize he was lucky to still be alive after his accident, but he did realize it eventually; and he was thankful. His eyes followed her fingers as they slipped off the engagement ring she had been wearing for the past six years. They always said they'd get married after college, and after they were settled with Landon. But four years turned into five, and then into six. Which lead them to where they were. "Do you remember when I gave you that?" he questioned, watching her play with the ring in her hand after pulling it out of its box. A smile played on her lips and he knew she was reliving the memory.

"I said I'd never take it off." she responded quietly, slipping it onto the tip of her thumb, keeping her gaze on it.

"And you didn't," he said with a soft laugh, "Until we got into that fight on our drive back down to Dillon-"

"And I threw it in the field." she finished, shaking her head at the thought. She had been so angry at him, making her miss her roommate's birthday party. It was one of those silly fights that you hardly had so you thought it was only right to blow it out of proportion.

"We spent six hours searching for it." he added, and she laughed, placing it back into the box properly.

"You couldn't wait a couple of hours, serves you right." she teased, popping the top closed.

"Considering there was supposed to be a storm, I didn't want to get stuck driving in it."

"There never was a storm." she reminded him, pushing the box further into the center of the kitchen counter before standing up from the stool, her heels clacking on the tile as she did.

"It did rain," he shot back, before getting a look from her in return - one that told him that he was grasping for something that wasn't there and sighed in defeat. "Even if it was only for a few minutes, it still rained."

"I can't do this anymore." she finally admitted. Even with the clues, those words still hit him like a bullet. It was like he was living through his accident all over again, only this time he was even more surprised than he had been when he was tackled.

"Lyla,"

"We don't even talk anymore, Jason." she continued, the sadness present in her voice.

"What are you talking about? We talk."

"Yeah, about who's gonna pick up Landon after school or what's for dinner, or when you'll be back from practice. But I mean something meaningful. I mean _real conversations. _About our future or when we're frustrated or mad or disagree with something." she sighed, "Jason, you let me paint our bedroom pink! Of all the colors, pink!"

"I didn't want to fight with you about it." he spoke quietly.

"That's exactly my point! We're so afraid to fight with each other that we don't let each other know when something's wrong. It's like living in some perfect fairytale, except it's not real! I want to fight with you, Jason. It means we still care." Lyla Garrity wasn't always one that liked screaming her lungs off trying to prove a point, especially not Jason. But, it was those stupid annoying things that she missed. She missed being woken up in the middle of the night by Jason because he couldn't fall asleep knowing he had said something horrible to her during a fight, or that he couldn't sleep knowing she was mad at him. She missed that. She missed feeling something, _anything. _

"We do. It's just not like it was before." he tried to reason with her.

"That's exactly my point." He watched her grab the box containing the diamond ring and leave it on the kitchen table in front of him before kissing his forehead gently. "I have to go away for a while. The squad's got a competition in Florida, I'll be gone for a week. I guess, when I get back, we'll figure out the rest then." she said, her voice quiet and hesitant, as though she wasn't sure she wanted to do what she was doing.

There was a pause and he felt her still standing beside her, but he didn't move to grab her wrist. He didn't stop her when the moment was over and she was walking out of the kitchen, up the stairs to say goodbye to her son and then out of the house.

Jason mumbled three words quietly to himself, knowing they would have been better spent had they been spoken when she was still in the room. But, sometimes it wasn't enough. Not this time. He sighed, pushing himself away from the table and reeling his wheelchair towards the lift near the stairs that would take him upstairs.

_Every other Friday  
It's toys and clothes and backpacks  
Is everybody in,  
Okay, let's go see dad  
Same time in the same spot  
Corner of the same old parking lot  
Half the hugs and kisses there are always sad  
We tradecouple words and looks and kids again  
Every Other weekend_

Jason watched as his ten year old son hurried towards him, a smile on his face. He stood up, and watched as Lyla stopped a few feet away from her car, and watched her son walk towards his father. "Hey buddy!" he tore his eyes away from the brunette who would always hold his heart and hugged his son with a small laugh. It was always lonely when he didn't have Landon. Or Lyla.

"Hey Dad." he greeted, "Mom's got my science project in the back of her car so you're supposed to pick it up. She's afraid I'd wreck it if I brought it to you myself." he rolled his eyes like it was the most ridiculous idea he had ever heard of, making Jason laugh again. Man, did he love this kid. Ever since he watched Lyla hold him for the first time and he gurgled up at him, he didn't think it was possible to ever be as happy as he was when Landon entered the world; not without football being in his life.

"Alright, lets go get it." By the time they reached the car, Lyla had already pulled the volcano they had been working on for the past two weeks out of her car and had it ready for him to take. It was like this every other weekend. He didn't see her at school anymore, ever since getting a job at the University of Texas. They'd drive for awhile every other weekend and switch passengers, before driving back home. Landon spent his weekdays in Dillon with his mother, it was just easier as they had decided, especially with Jason's limited mobility due to his wheelchair. It was harder to chase after an energetic boy, but he had gotten the hang of doing things his own way.

"Hey." he greeted, and Lyla returned it with a nod and a small smile.

"It's due on Monday." she told him, handing him the project.

Jason nodded, without saying another word before Lyla bent down and hugged the boy again. "I'll see you in a few days." she whispered, she always had a hard time saying goodbye to her only source of company. "Can I get an I love you?"

"Love yah, Mom." he said as she ruffled his hair and stood back up.

"Love you too, buddy." she smiled, looking up to see Jason watching her. She had gotten used to that look, and okay, maybe even missed it somewhat. But, she forced herself to tear her eyes away from his and turned around to head to her car, before a hand grabbed onto her wrist and stopped her. Spinning back around, she glanced at him curiously before he dropped his hand.

_Every other weekend  
Very few exceptions,  
I pick up the love we made in both my arms  
It's movies on the sofa, grilled cheese and cut the crust off  
"That's not the way mom makes it, daddy," breaks my heart  
I miss everything I use to have with her again,  
Every other weekend  
__  
I cant tell her I love her  
__  
I can't tell him I love him  
__  
'Cause there's too many questions and years in the car  
__  
So I don't tell him I miss him  
__  
I don't tell her I need her_

"Missing something?" she questioned curiously. There was a pause, a silent interaction between them. They stood only a few inches a part, yet it seemed like a lifetime. Pursing her lips together, she dropped her head, and stuck her hands into the pockets of her jeans, waiting for an answer. Maybe more.

"Just wanted to say bye." he finally said, a soft smile playing on his lips as they glanced at each other one more time.

"Goodbye, Jason." she nodded, and Lyla got into her car. One last look, one last wave and she was gone.

It was those Friday nights that he looked forward to. The days when he'd get to see his son, and Lyla Garrity, the mother of his child. Where they'd get to be a family again, if not only for a few minutes. Those days were perfect. And then they were gone.

_She's(He's) over me, that's where we are_

__

So we're as close as we may ever be again  
Every other weekend

Every other Saturday

First thing in the morning  
I turn the TV on to make the quiet go away  
I know why, but I don't know why  
We ever let this happen  
Fallin' for forever was a big mistake  
There's so much not to do and all day not to do with him  
Every other weekend

Every other Sunday  
I empty out my backseat  
While my children hug their mother  
In the parking lot  
We don't touch,  
We don't talk much,  
Maybe goodbye to each other  
As she drives away with every piece of heart I got,  
I reconvince myself we did the right thing,  
Every other weekend

I can't tell her I love her

I can't tell him I love him

'Cause there's too many questions and years in the car

So I don't tell him I miss him

I don't tell her I need her

She's(He's) over me that's where we are  
We're as close as we may ever be again  
Every other weekend

Yeah, for fifteen minutes,  
We're a family again

God, I wish that he was still with me again

_Every other weekend_


End file.
